Best Exercises

[Alex252]

Well after looking at someones pictures of a winter exercise i was wondering which exercises are better for building comradery. Summer or Winter? Both seasons contain tough conditions but i hear the more miserable you are in the field due to weather etc, the better comradery. So maybe some stories from your guys past experiences would be nice.

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

Personally, I find that crummy weather has different effects on different people. I have friends who seem to use it as a way to bond (mostly in sharing ideas to keep warm or dry  ;D) and some guys just let their morale go to hell and become irritable. But from my limited experience, It doesnt matter what the weather is, because you're always going to find yourself trying to overcome that urge to be cranky. Once you bite your lip and crack a joke, real comradery begins to build. Adverse conditions are hell on the body but just make for a great smoker in the end  ;D

To answer your question, I would say summer Exs, but Im sure some will disagree as my winter Ex experience is next to nothing.

 

[paracowboy]

I (note the capitalization) wouldn't say that either is really more conducive to building comaradery (note the second 'a'). Spending weeks together in a 10-man tent can really pull you together, but it can also make you want to drive your bayonets into each other. On a summer Ex, you actively seek your buddies, and on a winter Ex, you spend more time with your section, 'cause it's too cold to go looking for anybody. But, even then, you try to find time to go poke your nose into a friend's tent. Or, in both, you tend to gaggle together whenever the opportunity arises.

If it's a really good Ex, you're too busy to to do much but patrol, stand watch, and sleep. You want to build comaradery, be a good comrade. It'll be returned.

Worry about building morale later, anyway. Focus on the 100 meter target. You can start aiming at the 500 later.

 

[GerryCan]

Well said cowboy, but you wanna know how to really get tight with the guys in your pl on winter ex? Toss a smoke grenade in another sections tent, wait for them all to run out looking for someone to thump, then point them towards the HQ tent. Ahhh goodtimes.

But seriously I find that it all depends on the guys you have around. Some guys get better when $hit gets worse and some guys get all sour-puss and whine about going home every ten seconds. Either way you'll get tighter in the end whether you like it or not.

 

[bubba]

gerycan i'm startin to think i know you,wellsaid by the way,you to paracowboy.don't forget drinkin beer eatin pizza,throwin knuckles and finally drinkin more beer.ahh the old smokers!!!

 

[eliteboris]

Personnaly i enjoy the winter X's better. It is always easier to get warmer then in the summer sweating your balls off all day long some times sucks. Winter you can always joke around with the snow when you have down time, and your buddy notices when your piss is frozen on his kit. Only thing i hate about winter X's is crawling out of your warm sleeping bag at 0330 and freezing while you get dressed for sentry.

 

[Gouki]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned insects and the like .. I may not have done operations but I've camped out and been in the field a few times with my old res. arty regt and the one thing I could not stand were the bugs.. and the humidity. Ants and spiders and those stupid June bugs crawling on the ground and bees/hornets/wasps and mosquitos buzzing in the air.. drove me nuts.

 

[armyrules]

I personally like the summer X's better I guess because I like the heat better than the cold

 

[rw4th]

Regardless of the ex, all the good shiat occurs in the mess afterwards ;D

Hardship occurs in winter, spring, summer and fall exercises and they all provide ample suck.

 

[armyrules]

LOL nice post the mess afterwards LOL